I was last on the list today but I was on the list.
Can be tempting to self sacrifice to point of death.
But we can only love others as much as we love ourselves.
Pour into you so you can better pour into them.
"Just be healthy" is a stupid goal.
It's like someone saying "just don't wanna be poor."
Or "just glad me wifes not ugly."
It's so baseline it's almost insulting to God that it's all you think you'd be capable of.
God made you for so much more.
Stop setting the goal of "just be healthy."
Because the process of honoring God with your body - it get's you a lot further than simply baseline "healthy".
Gabe Pluguez retweeted
Christian Business Owner and father of 3 loses 16 lbs and keeps it off through Biblical Mindset Shifts, a Sustainable Nutrition Lifestyle, Tailored Training, and Christ Centered Accountability
Physical intensity is inherently Christian.
Jesus had sufficient physical intensity to carry his cross after being brutally tortured.
You’re telling me that required no grit?
That is psychopathic grit.
Find it, Christian man.
Everyone’s talking about which GLP gets you the most ripped.
No one’s talking about how all of them rob of of the opportunity to take part in the attitude of Christ who disciplined his body.
I’m not getting ripped for the sake of it. If so it will be meaningless in the end. I’m on this journey to train me in godliness.
If you can’t maintain 10% body fat w/ out a GLP that tells me you don’t recognize the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within you.
Soft.
Everyone thinks they lose motivation because they stop seeing results, but you really lose motivation because of this:
Everyone thinks to lose fat you need to cut out sugar but I've eaten sugar every day over the last 5 years and I'm down ~40lbs down over the last 5 years.
Eating sugar within my calories helps me keep the fat off because God didn't make food to just be fuel.
He designed our bodies to take pleasure in food too.
In fact pleasure, in it's proper context guards us from temptation.
That's one of the reasons Paul encourages married Christians to not go too long w/ out sex.
Holy Pleasure is guarding.
Enjoying great food, to the glory of God, responsibly guards you from being tempted to over eat else where.
I could say something simple like “Bible time” or “I love Tennessee.” but that doesn’t begin to describe the staggering level of guilt I experienced in this moment for not being grateful enough.
And it’s weird. Because some might consider me a gratitude expert. I am the guy who could sincerely shout praises to God in the middle of the storm.
I am the guy with the self control to say “thank you Jesus” when my baby is screaming in my face at 3:00 am.
I am the guy who says “this is all from GOD” when my family and I experience his goodness.
But for some reason I’ve still been convicted. My gratitude is not sufficient.
Sure. I’ve built enough gratitude to regulate my emotions.
Hell, I’ve built up enough gratitude to stare death straight in the face and say “thank God for the opportunity to strengthen the endurance of my faith.” (James 1:2-3)
I’ve faced that through the near collapse of my marriage, of my business, the death of my father, and more.
But something is hitting me different as seasons have changed.
My buissiness is experiencing a ton of momentum.
My wife is showing up in a way that overwhelms me with joy.
I’m in the best shape of my life.
My daughter is healthy.
And I still have gratitude in the hard moments.
But I’m realizing I don’t praise God enough for the good things too. And I don’t praise him in advance for the further good he’s bringing me.
Part of it is because I already feel overwhelmingly blessed.
Another part of it is because I’m seeing the writing on the wall. God is continuing to bless me. And there’s nothing I can do to stop it. It almost feels against my will - like if I woke up tomorrow and asked him to stop- he’d say “no”.
And part of it might actually be some guilt. There’s part of my programming where people around me made me feel like a piece of sh*t for desiring more. Lies from things they said that have held me back for so long.
I’ve been shedding those lies off of me for two years and still have a lot more to go.
But I’m at the point where I’ve recognized that God is so good - I’ll never be able to give gratitude that’s “good enough” or that appropriately describes his goodness.
I can’t even anticipate the miracles he’s going to work out for me today, let alone this week - because he’s just that good.
I just want to un-train the prideful, fearful parts of me that feel bad for receiving those blessings.
And with that - the challenge of “I’m not being greatful enough.”
God calls us to so much gratitude - he calls us to a perfect standard of gratitude. A gratitude that heals us, and makes his name known.
But also - we’ll never be able to be grateful enough - and that’s ok. Jesus is grateful on our behalf. He lives to intercede, to pray to father on our behalf - perfectly worshiping, and expressing gratefulness - for all he is and all he’s given us - from eternity past.
And btw - no I’m not sharing this from a place of despair.
I’m sharing this to be real.
99% of people this hellscape of an app never share the real.
It’s either the “journey” with absolutely 0 authority or credibility.
Or the “mountaintop” with no real.
Leadership demonstrates authority while being real.
Jesus let his disciples watch him weep.
But he also defeated death.
Do both.
Want bigger biceps?
A better Chest?
More shredded abs?
Nothing wrong with that.
It would be perfectly Biblical to pray "Lord give me the discipline and consistency to build a body that demonstrates the power of your Holy Spirit to my wife and children."
The distinction isn't what you want it's why you want it.
If it's for selfish gain - it will be meaningless and void.
But when it's to glorify God - it has eternal ramifications.
Doesn’t include BJJ 1-2x/ week or every literal step I’ve taken but here we are gents.
A staggering 5.5k/ day.
Don’t see ROI in dedicated walking time outside of normal fam walks.
Walking pad at desk: no.
How do actually deep work/ Bible time with a freaking treadmill whirring under your feet?
I’ve increased it at times, but the data doesn’t lie.
5.5k average over 10 months of year.
10k can be average from sport training days or normal routine
But not good use of time to schedule in “dedicated walking.”
Wild.
That’s what my retired clients & wife do.
Few guys who walk a lot for biz.
But over all - disciplined nutrition much better use of time.
Everybody thinks you end up looking like this by obsessing over what you look like.
I genuinely go weeks and months at a time forgetting I actually look like this.
So much detachment from outcome, so far removed from comparing myself to others, so much focus on being consistent with the inputs.
Entire focus in daily eating is “how can I glorify God with every decision I make about what I put into my body?”
Entire daily focus in training is “how can I steward well the body God gave me to accomplish my God given mission.”
How can I love others as I love myself?
How can I take part in the attitude of Christ who disciplined his flesh?
Weeks/ months go by and I take a look at the progress and am blown away.
Crazy what happens when you have the right focus in mind.
Not about outcome.
About what God works out in your heart through the process.
Gabe Pluguez retweeted
Client of ours down 131 pounds over 18 months.
Biggest focuses:
- Viewing physical stewardship as part of his walk with Christ
- Resistance training to build muscle
- Tracking calories and protein, could eat "anything" within daily goals
Very teachable.
Just surrendered to process.
Didn't overthink instructions.
Gabe Pluguez retweeted
Pastor and CEO loses 72 lbs through Biblical Mindset Shifts, a Sustainable Nutrition Lifestyle, Tailored Training, and Christ Centered Accountability
The basics of influence: demonstrating control over something other people want control over.
Wealth.
Health.
Relationships.
Temptation.
Etc.
That’s why so many people follow Jesus. He demonstrated control of death itself - something other people want control over.
Want to influence the people God called you to lead?
Demonstrate control over things they want control over.
Gabe Pluguez retweeted
Ate sugar every day for five years.
Lost 40+ lbs, sustained over 5+ years, while growing business, getting married, having baby, moving from Florida to Tennessee.
Here’s how daily sugar helped me:
After 2 years of marriage I’ve noticed that my wife submits, supports my initiatives, and respects me more readily when I’m submitted to Christ & taking an attitude of humility amongst other men who sharpen me.
She actually doesn’t want me to have it all figured out.
She’s wants me obedient to Christ and learning from others.
Submission to Christ and humility is leadership she can trust.
Not fake bravado.
Knowing where God wants us to go and what he wants us to do based on his word and the edification of other men he places in my path.
Been good 👍








